1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hose clamp for clamping a hose, such as a rubber hose, to fix it to an end of a connection pipe.
2. Description of Relevant Art
Conventional hose clamps are disclosed for example in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 52-14511 and Japanese Utility Mode Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2-87194.
The conventional hose clamps each comprise a clamp member as a principal body of a ring-like configuration and a holder as an accessory of a U-channel form. The clamp member comprises a shaped spring sheet normally curled in a ring with crossing end leaves, which are radially outwardly bent to provide a pair of grips to be forced close to each other to enlarge the ring before application to a hose. The grips are forced closer together for a smooth insertion of their tips into a medium depth of the holder, and released so that the grip tips resiliently abut on both side walls of the holder, whereby they are held together, keeping the ring enlarged for a convenient application, with the grip tips spaced from a top wall of the holder to provide a spacing therebetween, with a resultant gap left between the tips.
For application to a hose, the enlarged ring is first put on the hose. After an end of the hose is fitted on a connection pipe, the ring is relocated in position on the hose end. Then, with a tool such as a pair of pliers inserted in the spacing between the holder and the grips, the holder is pinched to be pulled up for removal, allowing for the ring to contract, clamping the hose end from outside, permitting a secure fixing to the connection pipe.
For the holder removal, a screw driver or the like sometimes substitutes for the pliers or the like, as circumstances require. Such a tool has a size-reduced end, which is inserted in the spacing between the holder and the grips, and operated like a lever with force to raise the holder to be removed. It is often the case, however, that the tool end tends to slip into the gap between the grip tips, disabling an effective use of the principle of a lever.